PDP protests at Raj Bhavan ahead of all party meeting

Srinagar, Aug 14 (UNI) Pushing ahead the agenda of declaring Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road as a trade route and putting an end to the atrocities perpetuated on Kashmiris, the PDP leaders today marched up to Raj Bhavan and staged a sit-in ahead of the all party meeting convened by Governor N N Vohra this afternoon.

The march was led by party president Mehbooba Mufti and senior party leaders and functionaries, including Mr Abdul Aziz Zarger, Mr Tariq Hammeed Qara, Mr Dilawar Mir, Mr Nizamudinn Bhat, Mr Basharat Bukhari, Mr Abdul Rehman Veeri, Mr Sayed Basir, Mr Muhammd Khalil Band, Mr Bashir Assad, Shehzadi Saiman Javed Mustafa Mir, Mr Zahoor Ahmad Mir, participated in it.

The protestors displayed placards and banners demanding that the Centre immediately initiate dialogue to start trade on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road to meet the urgent public demand.

The PDP also called for an end to police and CRPF excesses, immediate withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) besides reduction of troops and safe passage to the Kashmiri youth stranded on the other side of the LoC.

PDP leaders shouted slogans and made speeches outside Raj Bhavan where the gates were closed and heavy contingent of security forces maintained vigilant blockades.

During the peaceful sit-in, the protestors vehemently pleaded that the fulfillment of their demands was linked with the main issue of Kashmir which they said should be resolved without delay.

The leaders said the demands they put forth were a part of their agenda since the PDP came into being.

They also paid rich tributes to all the martyrs who laid their lives during the ongoing crisis, saying, ''We are a part of people and meeting their aspirations is a common cause which is over and above party politics.'' The leaders made a fervent appeal for unanimous and consistent approach to exhibit unity at his hour of crisis and forge mutual cooperation so that the agenda finally set by the people themselves was fulfilled to their expectations.

Maintaining that dialogue and reconciliation was the only way out to defuse the crisis and fulfill the objectives, PDP leaders urged the government to initiate immediate talks with the civil society and the separatists.

UNI BAS SKB NS1919